<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Friends at First Sight by overunderachiever</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25805659">Friends at First Sight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/overunderachiever/pseuds/overunderachiever'>overunderachiever</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Soulmate September 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Aromantic Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Asexual Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Fluff, Frayromantic Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Fraysexual Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, M/M, Meet-Cute, Multi, Platonic Love at First Sight, Queerplatonic Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Queerplatonic Relationships, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, apparently I'm the only one who thinks that should be a tag, so help me I will make that a tag</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:00:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,036</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25805659</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/overunderachiever/pseuds/overunderachiever</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Roman always assumed he would have that 'Love at First Sight' moment when he finally met his soulmate. But when the time comes, things aren't quite what he expected. In fact, it might just be better.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Soulmate September 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Friends at First Sight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A little OOC because they get on well lol.</p><p>Written for tsshipmonth2020's Soulmate September on Tumblr.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Today was the day. Roman could barely contain his excitement. He checked the timer on his wrist for the hundredth time that day. 3 minutes and 57 seconds. He was meeting his soulmate (<em>his soulmate!</em>) in less than four minutes! He had gone for a walk in the park to try and calm down his nervous jitters that <em>today was the day</em> but it didn't seem to be helping.</p><p>Roman tried valiantly to stop glancing at his wrist as the seconds ticked away, but that only meant he started looking around the park, trying to guess which of the other people wandering around would be his soulmate, <em>his soulmate!!!</em></p><p>The time read 3 minutes and 4 seconds, 3 second, 2 seconds...</p><p>
  <em>Come on Roman focus on something else!</em>
</p><p>Of course, there was no harm in constantly clock watching - he would meet his soulmate no matter what, that's just how it worked - but Roman couldn't help but wish he would have some great romantic, lighting strike kind of meeting, the kind he saw in movies and books and tv shows and everywhere really. And he wouldn't have his perfect meeting if he was engrossed in counting down the seconds until it happened</p><p>He sneaked a glance at his wrist but shoved his hand in his pocket before he could read the time, impatience and romantic nature at war with each other. Instead he focussed on how the autumn sun shone thorough the trees, the red and gold leaves covered the ground, small groups of birds crossing the skies, heading south. He couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to be the start of his very own whirlwind romance.</p><p>Roman always thought his name was really rather apt for how much of a hopeless romanic he was. He'd had so many partners, but he had never felt invested enough to progress beyond a couple of dates or a one night stand. That new-love feeling was wonderful but it had never lasted, and Roman had never found he particularly cared. Wooing and winning a person was all well and good but he just couldn't ever see himself in a romantic relationship with them.</p><p>But that was surely because he hadn't met his soulmate! Yes, Roman believed in One True Love and was certain he would find that with his fate-assigned perfect partner.</p><p>And with that thought, his self control ran out and he glanced back at the clock on his wrist, breath catching to see the last seconds ticking away.</p><p>3 seconds, 2, 1...</p><p>
  <em>OOF!</em>
</p><p>Roman stumbled back as someone quite literally fell into his arms.</p><p>He stared at the young man he was holding (<em>his soulmate, his soulmate!</em>), trying to etch the image of their first meeting into his mind forever. Purple hair, dark eyeshadow under his eyes, hoodie, black jeans, MCR tee - ah clearly an emo then. The panicked look that had been on the man's face quickly gave way to a glare as he surveyed him back.</p><p>Oh this guy had some fire! Roman couldn't help letting his mind run away from him for half a second, imagining the friendly arguments they'd have, the misadventures, spending their whole lives together...</p><p>(The emo in question was staring up at the most pristine human being he had ever seen. Seriously this guy probably ironed his underwear. For a half second he panicked about what the guy would say if he had messed up his outfit in his clumsiness. Then he registered the delight on his face and the fact that his timer had been on its last second when he'd tripped and fallen on him so this guy must be his soulmate. Somehow he didn't think the guy would care about his outfit all that much.)</p><p>Roman was the first to recover. This was his soulmate and Roman only had one mission:</p><p>
  <em>Flirt mode - activated.</em>
</p><p>"Falling-Out-Boy for me already? I really must be dashing." Roman said with a wink, helping the man to his feet and tutting at the lack of colour in his soulmate's outfit.</p><p>"You need to watch where you're going, Prince Charming." The man huffed.</p><p>Roman could have squealed at the fact that his soulmate (<em>his soulmate!</em>) seemed to actually understand his (rather terrible) joke, and was bantering back! "Well it worked to sweep you off your feet! Does this make you Cinderella then?"</p><p>"If I'm Cinderella then I should be the one sweeping." The man smirked. "I'll be off now, should I leave you a shoe to remember me by?"</p><p>He turned to leave without waiting for an answer. Roman reached out and grabbed his hoodie sleeve.</p><p>"Not so fast, Marilyn Morose, I'm not letting my soulmate get away from me that easily."</p><p>As the man turned back around, Roman suddenly noticed the actual apprehension in his soulmate's eyes. That worried him; what was the emo concerned about? Was it something Roman did? Did his flirting make him feel uncomfortable?</p><p>"Heh, didn't really think that would work." The man allowed Roman to drag him to a nearby bench and sat down next to him. He fiddled with the cuff of his hoodie. "Look, I should probably get this out of the way right now...uh I'm aro-ace so I wont ever want a romantic relationship with you. I know most soulmates do, and you were flirting - I think - so I assume that's what you want? But I'd rather not. Uhh sorry about that."</p><p>"Oh goodness, don't apologise! I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, I kinda assumed I would be romantic with my soulmate but I shouldn't have done that." Roman frowned. "You know its odd: I never really considered this might happen but I'm not actually disappointed." He trailed off confused. He loved falling in love, but now he didn't feel like he really wanted that. So what did he want?</p><p>"Well <em>that's</em> a vote of confidence." The emo said, drawing into himself.</p><p>"Wait no! I didn't mean that in a bad way! I'm just a little confused at the moment. It just that in all the romantic relationships I ever had, I never felt more than superficial attraction, or wanted anything beyond the first date or a one night stand. I thought that was cause I hadn't found the right person, you know?"</p><p>Roman was suddenly rethinking most of what he knew about himself and it was taking a second to sink in. "But you're my soulmate...I assumed I'd have that love at first sight moment." <em>Maybe I did</em>, he realised, glancing over at the emo. <em>But like I really, really wanna be his friend, not date him. Strange.</em></p><p>He didn't say that though.</p><p>"W-well we can be friends?" The emo piped up, interrupting Roman's thoughts. "Uh I'm Virgil by the way, should probably have said that before we started on the big revelations."</p><p>Virgil's words pulled Roman out of his slightly shocked state. "Oh yes of course, I'm Roman! And being friends would be wonderful! Come on, lets go get ice cream."</p><p>He stood up abruptly, pulling Virgil along with him.</p><p>"Careful Princey! You'll tear my hoodie!"</p><p>Roman glanced back and laughed but let go of his arm, berating himself for just grabbing the guy again.</p><p>"You're as much of a drama queen as I am!"</p><p>"Hey, the difference is this is my favourite hoodie but you're probably like that with all your clothes."</p><p>"You know me so well already!</p><p>Virgil laughed as the two made their way over to a small cafe on the other side of the park, ordering their ice creams and sitting outside to eat.</p><p>They talked late into the evening, each secretly amazed at how the conversation was the least awkward they'd ever had with a person that had just met. It seemed they bypassed the small talk stage of the relationship completely, jumping straight to a very passionate discussion about representation in modern media. From the way they ranted and Roman's wild arm movements, anyone watching wouldn't have realised they were actually agreeing with each other.</p><p>When Roman finally checked the time, dusk was gathering. They swapped numbers and agreed to meet for ice cream again in a few days time.</p><p>"Right then, its a date!" Virgil grinned, and then realised what he'd said. "Er well obviously not a <em>date</em> date but-"</p><p>"A friend date! See you then My Chemical Non-Romance!"</p><p>As Roman turned to walk home, he couldn't help but think he had never gotten on with someone so well so quickly. Ok sure, they'd had a couple of disagreements in their passionate discussions but mostly they had seemed to just...click. It was odd, Virgil was so different from himself: pessimist not idealist, anxious not confident, darkly-clad not flamboyant.</p><p>But he supposed they weren't all that different; they clearly both had a similar flair for the dramatics, spoke their mind, and worried about how others saw them. From the moment Roman had seen him he knew he wanted to spend his life with this man, and after only a few hours talking he knew he could. He just had to hope Virgil felt the same.</p><p>(The emo in question had stared after Roman for several seconds before turning to make his own way home. He felt...light. And relaxed. He never felt like that after a social interaction, and he'd almost had a panic attack that morning with worrying what his soulmate would think of him. But it had been fine, more than fine really. They had gotten on like a house on fire - though he really hated that saying - and Virgil was sure he had never been able to just exist so comfortably around another person before. He was in such a good mood he couldn't even bring himself to worry about how Roman felt. Somehow he just knew everything would be alright.)</p><p>-----</p><p>Actually, things would be a lot better than 'alright'.</p><p>The 'friend dates' very quickly became more informal hang-outs, goofing around, making each other laugh. They spent many an evening-turned-early-morning on the couch together, gleefully ripping into the movies they watched, or talking for hours, or just existing really.</p><p>They could always show the other that everything would be alright in the world. Roman would help Virgil through anxiety attacks, and Virgil would be there for Roman on the days when self-loathing got the better of him, each pulling the other from their own terrors.</p><p>Roman always enlisted Virgil's help in getting ready for dates. It wasn't like the things were going to last, but he loved the romance and adventure of it, and Virgil turned out to be surprisingly good at hyping up his friend. They consulted each other for fashion advice, or practiced makeup looks on each other. Virgil went to every single one of Roman's plays, calming his nerves before the show and letting him know just how much he was admired by everyone in the audience. Roman was always the first to read Virgil's stories, he listened when Virgil needed to rant about world building, they celebrated together when he got his first publishing contract.</p><p>There was no official day when Roman moved in with Virgil - it just sort of happened. Virgil woke up one day, noticed the large amount of beauty products all over his bathroom, how the apartment's decoration was really a combination of both their styles, how he couldn't remember the last time Roman had actually slept at his own place, and he realised how perfectly comfortable he was with the dramatic man in his space 24/7. When Roman woke an hour later, Virgil casually asked him if he wanted to be his QPP and Roman replied that he kinda already assumed they were. They laughed about it, and laughed even more when they went to fetch the rest of Roman's stuff from his place and found there was nothing left to take.</p><p>Decades later would find them wandering through the park as they often did, ice-creams in hand, kicking through the fallen leaves as they walked in peaceful quite. Red-gold leaves fluttering through the air; dark trees silhouetted against the purpling-dusk sky. Two platonic soulmates silently marvelling at just how much they loved their person. Really, they couldn't be happier.</p><p>~~*~~</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it!</p><p>I tried to express that Roman is feeling platonic attraction for Virgil rather than romantic but I genuinely can hardly tell the difference in real life. I hope it worked.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>